Read it on reddit: The Perception of Lexus Sales in Europe
If you drive into a grocery store parking lot here in the United States, you’re bound to see several cars with the Lexus badge on them, especially if that expanse of pavement is in an upscale part of town. Last year, you probably noticed more Lexus vehicles around you than before. That’s because in 2015, Lexus’ North American sales shot up by 12 percent to 368,000 units.
From all appearances, Lexus seems to be a success on this continent. What about across the Atlantic in Europe, though?
There’s one redditor named herper147 over in the UK who doesn’t see a whole lot of Lexus in their neck of the woods. herper147 said:
For years I stupidly thought that Lexus was an American company, simply because I never saw them very much here in the UK or in Germany where I lived for a while, we rarely see the majority of American manufacturers over here. Also after visiting the U.S I saw more in 4 weeks than I did in 4-5 years in the UK.
After looking them up and realising they are Japanese and owned by Toyota I couldn’t understand why there are not more of them here in Europe? I have driven an LS200 (think that’s right) and it really wasn’t a bad car and definitely aged well, I could see myself owning an LS250 or something similar.
Can anyone explain why Lexus is not that popular in Europe?Or am I just wrong and they are?
Other redditors proceeded to chime in with their takes on the situation. For instance, one asserted that the German brands offer a wide range of models in multiple segments. Whereas BMW offers 1-7 series and multiple convertibles as well as a multitude of high-performance models, Lexus bottoms out at the CT, doesn’t sell a droptop to Europeans, and only makes two F models.
Another reddit contributor brought up the fact that Lexus dealerships “across the pond” don’t carry diesel models or wagons. Europeans do love their oil-burners. However, if you look at the Lexus of Europe page, you’ll notice it offers hybrid versions of many of its vehicles. In Western Europe, Lexus has a 45-percent piece of the premium hybrid sales pie.
Could Lexus sell more cars and crossovers in Europe? Sure. Do its German competitors pose serious threats to that necessary increase in sales because of their brand recognition, local production, and history of success? Certainly. That didn’t stop Lexus from making gains in Europe in 2015, though. According to the brand, “Sales in Europe increased 20 percent to approximately 64,000 vehicles, the most for a major market in percentage terms; including a 31 percent gain in Western Europe.”
It’s a matter of time until we find out if the upcoming LC will help give Lexus even higher numbers than those.
Chime in with your thoughts on the forum. >>
via [reddit] and [Lexus USA Pressroom]
photo credit [Lexus of Europe]